


Remembering a past trauma

by BlackRoseMii



Series: Fair Game Week 2020 [5]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, fairgameweek2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:15:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23229241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackRoseMii/pseuds/BlackRoseMii
Summary: During a dangerous mission, something happens that makes Clover remember the reason he hates his semblance.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Series: Fair Game Week 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1665493
Comments: 5
Kudos: 66





	Remembering a past trauma

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone is curious about the Grimm I made up for this chapter, check the Chelicerate from Subnautica Below Zero.

Over the weeks Qrow had been part of Clover's team, they had steadily gotten closer. It was something that wouldn't have been possible if Qrow was just any other guy. It was partly due to their similar semblances, but it had become more than that. Clover just couldn't quite tell what it was.

He was in love, that much was true. He wanted to make sure the huntsman would realize that. His flirtations were bold from the very start and he left hints basically everywhere. And it seemed like it was working. He found himself on the receiving end more often than before.

It was just a matter of time until one of them confessed.

But this wasn't Clovers first crush. He's been with people before. Still, there was something about Qrow that made his heart skip a beat differently. It felt purer, warmer. He couldn't describe it, but it was there.

Qrow was the person the brunette had waited for his entire life. And he wanted to do everything to make sure this relationship would last forever.

„Okay everybody,“ the operative started, „todays mission will be a dangerous one, so listen closely.“

He turned around towards the screen where information about the mission was displayed.

„Around this time of the year, the population of Grimm on the western shores grows larger than usual. This hinders fishers whose livelihood depends on the trade of fish. Our job is to eliminate as many Grimm as possible, until conditions are safe enough to set sail.“

He turned around once more to face the group.

„We have to be especially careful about the Grimm under the ice. They can strike without warning and once you're in the water, fighting them will be nearly impossible. So you should always keep an eye out for your teammates. Any more questions?“

He paused his speech to let the others process the information. When nobody spoke up, he concluded the mission briefing and dismissed the group.

The transport brought them close to the frozen shores of Solitas and then retreated a little farther away.

It was going to be a battle on three fronts: Land-bound Grimm and flying Grimm, as well as the unknown dangers under the thick ice. The ace-ops leader went over the plan once more and everyone took their respective positions, readying their weapons.

Clover flicked his pin, activating his semblance.

It didn't take long for the first Grimm to spot the teams and the battle started.

While team JNR, Vine, and Elm took care of the Grimm on land, team RWBY fought the ones above them together with Marrow and Harriet.

Qrow and Clover were waiting by the ice floes, watching for any sign of attackers in the water.

„Have you fought aquatic Grimm before?“ the brunette asked.

„A couple of them.“

„Well,“ the operative said in an amused tone. „if you haven't been to Solitas before, these ones will be new to you.“

Qrow raised one eyebrow and as if on cue, the ground beneath them started to rumble. They had positioned themselves at the edge of the ice floes, close enough for the Grimm to notice them, but just far enough to still be safe.

Now that they had gotten their attention, Clover threw the hook of his weapon into the water and waited. He looked calm, but after spending several months with him, Qrow could tell that the operative was tense. Just in case, the black-haired man readied his weapon and waited as well.

It took a few more moments, but suddenly, the fishing rod was being pulled and Clover struggled to stay on his feet. He had to use all of his strength to reel in what he had caught. With one last tug, he managed to pull out the giant Grimm and it fell unto the ground.

The creature was the size of a small boat. Its form resembled that of a shark or a dolphin, but almost its entire body was covered in thick bone plates. Its mouth was hidden by giant claw-like jaws that could easily snap a fishing boat in half.

It wasn't the most impressive Grimm Qrow had ever seen, but the thought of several of those things lurking right beneath them made him realize why this mission was considered so dangerous.

The Grimm screeched and flailed around, trying to hit the two men somehow. But it was still a fish on land, so its movements were limited.

Carefully as not to get too close to its jaws, the brunette walked around the beast, finding a good spot on its soft underside where it wasn't armored. He turned his weapon around and with one precise thrust, he rammed Kingfisher into the Grimm, turning it into black smoke.

With a confident smile, he turned towards Qrow.

„And that's just one of the smaller ones.“

He gestured the huntsman to follow him further out into the frozen sea, where they would need to get rid of the same type of Grimm one by one.

They'd jump from one ice floe to the next, Clover fishing them out and Qrow delivering the finishing blow. At times they had to watch the waters closely, since the creatures were waiting for them to trip and fall right into their territory. The huntsman quickly realized that they were the type of Grimm who didn't attack randomly. They were waiting. Watching. And that made them all the scarier. They knew there were just two of them. But the men didn't know how many of them were still left.

The number of floes was getting fewer, and the shore was getting too far away to be safe. It also seemed like most of the creatures had been killed or the rest had retreated.

Clover came over to Qrow.

„I think this should be it. The others are probably finished, too. Let's go back,“ he said, already moving back towards the shore. But he stopped when he noticed the black-haired man didn't follow him.

„Qrow?“

The man got pulled out of his thoughts and had to take a few moments to react.

„Sorry, it's just...“ he hesitated. „This went too smoothly. Wasn't this supposed to be a difficult mission?“

The brunette hummed, putting a hand to his chin.

Before, he never really thought about whether or not things were going too well. His semblance made all missions seem easy, so he never tried to even question it. But now that he met Qrow – someone who learned to read the atmosphere around him because of his dangerous semblance – he started to think about it more. It made him realize just how much he had been relying on his good luck.

The operative looked around them once more. He didn't pick up any movements in the water, but he trusted Qrow more than anyone else.

„Let's go before something happens,“ he said, motioning the huntsman to follow him. The latter did so after nodding.

They weren't as far out at sea as they thought at first. The shore was already in sight, including the other teams. They could see Ruby waving excitedly and shouting something, but they were still too far away to understand her. Qrow smiled, relieved to be seeing dry land in front of him again. His attention was away from the moving ice below him for a second and he slipped, falling ungracefully on his butt with a muffled sound. Clover turned around and chuckled, before walking towards Qrow to help him back up.

But a few meters before he could reach him, something in the water suddenly moved. Both men stopped in their tracks to concentrate on what was below them. And before they could react, a giant Grimm jumped out of the water, breaking the ice floe beneath it as it dove back and separated the two men.

The wave it created knocked the brunette from his feet and he had to reorientate. He was still on his knees when he looked around hastily, but he found nothing. The drift ice that was in front of him just a few seconds ago was no longer there. And neither was the man who had stood there.

„No...“ the operative whispered, breathless.

Dozens of thoughts went through his mind. Did Qrow get eaten? Was he knocked off the ice and into the water? Was the Grimm still after him? Or was he able to turn into a bird and fly away just in time?

With each second that passed, the possibility of Qrow being fine decreased and the realization sunk in. The brunette repeated his words with increasing panic in his voice. His heart raced until he thought it would burst out of his chest and all he could think about was finding the huntsman.

He shook his head to try to gain some composure, but it barely helped. He had to help Qrow now, so he shut out his reasoning and jumped into the water, the giant creature beneath him be damned.

The ice cold water bit into his body, pain numbing his senses, but he couldn't stop. He dove deeper to get a better look at his surroundings and soon, he found Qrows limp body floating closer to him than he thought. He swam towards him, but the Grimm cut off his path. He stared into the jaws of the creature as it was about to devour him, but in the moment, a rocket hit it from above. It wasn't injured, but the shock of the impact made it retreat deeper into the water.

Clover took the chance and swam over to Qrow, putting his arms under his shoulders and pulling him up to the surface.

His nieces were calling out Qrows name as the two men finally reached dry land. Several of the others gathered around them, but Clover couldn't focus on anything else but Qrow. He even ignored the cold air that started to freeze him to the core and the shaking of his hands as he checked for vital signs.

Seconds passed by like an eternity, but the operative soon sighed in relief. Qrow was alive.

The brunette stood in front of the window that separated him and the hospital room. Inside, Qrow was still unconscious, but stable. He held his hand to the glass as if he wanted to reach the man, but he couldn't. He could have easily gone through the door next to him, but something deep inside him kept him from doing so. He felt like he didn't have the right to.

He didn't look away when the girl beside him spoke up.

„Thank you for saving him Clover.“

The man didn't respond, so Ruby continued.

„You know, you can go inside if you want.“

She was clearly trying to start a conversation, but for once, Clover didn't feel like it. He stayed silent for a while longer until the girl was about to leave.

„I should be laying there,“ he said quietly, his voice hoarse and pained.

The girl was about to say something, but the brunette didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to hear anything. So he left for his home.

The door whirred as it closed. After that, there was only silence and his heartbeat.

He always found his apartment rather quiet. And most of the time, it was relaxing. He was away from all the people and his work. He had time for himself to unwind and maybe take a nap.

But now, the silence was everything but that. Now he wasn't able to tune out memories of hushed voices and images he didn't want to see. There was nothing he could distract himself with.

Absently, he walked over to his couch and let himself fall on it with a deep sigh. He put an arm over his eyes, trying to calm his mind, but it didn't work. Thoughts and memories made his head spin until it hurt.

Being huntsmen and huntresses meant risking their lives each and every day. The moment they enter one of the academies, everybody should be prepared for that. Clover was, as well as Qrow. He's seen countless injuries and even deaths in his life. It was part of his job.

Yet, the thought of losing Qrow filled him with fear. And the way he almost lost his life on the last mission, it would have been even worse.

It was his semblance. His good luck was what let him avoid the attack. But it was Qrow who got hit in his place.

If it came down to it, his semblance would always choose him. At times, it felt like it was a parasite, making sure to keep its host alive at all costs. He didn't have as much control of it as he made it look like. He was only at its mercy.

And it wasn't the first time he lost people close to him.

„ _Did you hear what happened to Ebis team? They got ambushed by Grimm and lost their lives. Their leader was the only one to survive.“ „Must have been his semblance. He's just alive because he got lucky.“_

Tears streamed down his face as he lay there, sobbing quietly.

_No,_ he repeated in his mind.  _It should have been me._


End file.
